Advertisement

Rob Ford has second biopsy: 'I'm pretty sick'

Toronto Mayor Rob Ford underwent a second biopsy for the illness that forced him out of his race for re-election.

By Gabrielle Levy
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford (CC/ Shaun Merritt)
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford (CC/ Shaun Merritt)

TORONTO, Sept. 16 (UPI) -- Toronto Mayor Rob Ford opened up about the illness that forced him out of his bid for re-election last week, while "trying" to do work from his hospital bed.

Ford, who is awaiting the results of a biopsy of a tumor discovered in his abdomen, spoke by phone with Toronto Sun columnist Joe Warmington in an interview published Tuesday.

Advertisement

Warmington, who has frequently gained exclusive access to the colorful mayor, described Ford as "in obvious discomfort" and said "he didn't sound too good. Horrible in fact."

"He was coughing and hacking and talking with a heavy breath," Warmington said.

"I'm feeling pretty sick," Ford told him, adding that he was "trying" to work because "You have got to carry on."

Dan Jacobs, his chief of staff, and assistant, Amin Massoudi, said Ford had requested files be brought to his beside.

"He wanted his clipboard with numbers of people who called," Jacobs.

Warmington described Ford's weekend as "a very bad night" Sunday and he was "feeling nauseous Monday."

"Mayor Ford said he was 'vomiting' a lot and was in considerable pain," Warmington wrote. "He also had some invasive testing Monday. The mayor described it as doctors 'going into my lungs' with a 'scope' to take 'another biopsy.'"

Advertisement

"It's pretty tricky right now," Ford told him.

Ford, who has been replaced on the ballot by his brother Councilman Doug Ford, is now running for his brother's council seat in the October 27 election.

Describing the conversation on radio station Newstalk 1010 Tuesday, Warmington said the mayor may have cancer.

"There's certainly suggestions what it is. He did not say that to me," Warmington said. "He talked about having a second biopsy. Some sort of a scope to go into his lungs. That's the first time we've reported it because it came directly from him."

Latest Headlines